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93 Headlight repair

Gimpin

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
557
Location
Plant City, FL
I picked up some 93 headlights from the junkyard but the reflective foil on the inside is starting flake off ... has anybody experienced this or been able to succesfully repair this?
 

curtis

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
Yes give me a pm and I'll explain tomorrow. I'm tired and hitting the couch.
 

fivestardsm

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
1,699
Location
Middle, Michigan
Curtis, if you would, duplicate that how-to on this and send it my way? Unless it is already in the how-to and archive. If not, get going on it!! I am positive that you have nothing better to do with your time. Maybe in exchange, I can arrange for an ambulance ride for you next superbowl sunday....[j/k]
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

curtis

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
OK YOU NON SEARCHERS HERE GOES.

1) clean up a spot to work.
2) preheat oven at lowest setting, lowering rack down some and removing top rack, if wife is home slip here 50 bucks and send her to the mall to buy herself something nice. Because shes going to go off if she sees what your up to.
3) Find a clean pair of leather gloves
4) lay out assorted flat tip screw drivers a few old towels and a bunch of rags as well as a bunch of single use razor blades.
5) Now for the work.
Remove metal screwdriver looking agjuster. needle nose pliers and pinch the white clip it should pop right out. Now remove 10mm nut with socket and ratchet, now the allen head screws on the adjusters, find the correct allen head and chuck up in a drill, do one about half then the other. Lay this aside to clean and paint later, remove bulbs, and use a small flat tip and remove rings on the back that retain the bulb, yes they will pop off and are easy to break so be careful, there's a little tab you have to pry on as you raise one corner.

Disassemble complete repeat for the other side.

Now take a new razor blade and slice the grey rubber glue that holds the lens on get a nice cut through it and remove what you can. repeat on the other.

Place one in the oven at 175 for 20 minutes then pull out wearing gloves and take a wide screw driver/ plastic scrapper and see if the glue is starting to release if not put her back in the stove. Repeat for another 10 or so. So will pull apart at 15 minutes at 175 and I've had some that 200 an 45 minutes want do . You'll know it when you get there. When it stars to seperate run to your work table and get it pried apart and start scrapping the glue out of the tracks as fast as you can you sometimes have to put it back in and re heat at 175-200 and go at it again., Now do the glass by using up the razor blades. Don't try a wire wheel on the bench grinder it melts and sticks to the wheel and just spreads it around. Repeat and get all the grey crap off of all of it. Chemicals want work tried that to. Just time and pressure. After everything's clean you can scuff and repaint with the cheap stuff from auto zone rates a 6 from 1 to 10, get the eastwood stuff alot better or have the back plates re dipped in chrome or PM Kenny about powder coating it. I think they sell a dip for plastic that allows you to powder coat.

Now for the outside black on top it can be scrapped of with a razor and a fine wire brush on a bench grinder, tape of with blue painters tape and re shot after there resealed to the lens. I usually use grey RTV for that. To put all back together just go in reverse


Its nothing hard but an all day event.
 

fivestardsm

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
1,699
Location
Middle, Michigan
Ok, as for the reflectiveness, obviously the chromeing is the best method, but what about the powder coating. Is it very reflective? I have seen chrome paint on things before, and it looks just like that, paint. I have seen some chrome powder coating, but it looks a little dull aswell. So are there any certain kinds of chrome powder coating that look better than others?
 

curtis

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
I've not even had a chance to try my powder coat stuff out but eastwood does sell some chrome paint and powder just never messed with it PM 14u2nV aka Kenny aka pedobear and see what he says. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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